This invention relates to a system for automatically opening cartons containing packages therein and removing the packages from the cartons and more particularly for a system for opening cartons and removing packages of cigarettes from the cartons.
In the manufacturing of cigarettes, cigarettes are packaged in packages generally containing twenty cigarettes per package and each package is then placed into a carton, each carton generally containing ten packs of cigarettes. Retail outlets for these cigarettes in many instances do not open the cartons but keep the cartons stacked on storeroom shelves and sell the cigarettes by the carton. However, shelf life of cigarettes within the cartons is a relatively short period of time, generally less than three months, and if the carton of cigarettes is not purchased within that period of time, the cartons are returned to the manufacturers where the cartons are opened, the packages are removed and the cigarettes removed from the packages so that the tobacco which is relatively expensive, may then be reprocessed and re-used. Thus, means to economically open the cartons and remove the packages therefrom is an important consideration for cigarette manufacturers.
The prior art has a number of systems and devices available for the opening of the packages of cigarettes and removing the cigarettes therefrom but in many instances the opening of the cartons to remove the packages from the cartons in a tobacco recovery process is generally labor intensive.